Can’t move too quickly to protect your interests, clearly. Too bad Paterson’s not so attentive to the state he governs:

* Property taxes are a problem? Paterson proposes a tax cap, but refuses to push the Legislature on it.

* The MTA is headed for a fiscal crash? Paterson creates a commission to study the problem.

* Albany’s drowning in red ink of its own? Paterson chides the Legislature for its profligacy, demands cuts in spending, then blinks and promises to be really, really stern – next year.

When the going gets tough, Dave delegates – except when it comes to raising funds for a likely 2010 election campaign.

That’s got to be done today. And forget even the appearance of restraint.

As The New York Times pointed out on its editorial page yesterday, one day after the gov signed the priority bill of the New York State Dental Association – basically giving the parent group the power to run roughshod over its local affiliates – the Paterson for Governor campaign fund received a $25,000 check from NYSDA’s political arm, the Empire Dental Political Action Committee.

The Times calls for Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to look into what looks like as explicit a case of “pay to play” as has been seen in some time.

And you know what? For once, the Times is spot on: Go for it, Andrew.

Clearly, if New Yorkers had any illusions that David Paterson represented a new day in Albany, they have been disabused of the notion.